April Showers Bring May Flowers

The weather is warming up and at
long last, it’s looking at lot more like Spring. It’s just in time too, as May
Day celebrations have been starting in towns and villages the length and
breadth of Britain. Traditionally celebrated in Britain on 1st May and
on the first Sunday after it. In this blog post, we’re going to take a closer
look at the celebration and where it came from.

May Day History

May Day has its history in pagan
Europe, when May Day was noted for its celebration of love and romance, with spring
transitioning into summer and flowers coming into bloom. These celebrations
were held in a range of different European nations, including what later became
Britain, Germany and Italy. The festival took different forms in different
areas but what it had in common was it was usually centred around singing and
dancing; which leads us on to its most common form…

Dancing Around the Maypole

It might not be too difficult to
guess where the traditional dance of Maypole is carried out! That’s right –
around a Maypole! In the past, villagers would chop down young trees and stick
them in the centre of their village, to celebrate the Summer that was soon to
arrive. Villagers, both young and old, would practice singing and dancing
around the pole in the weeks leading up to the celebration. This tradition came
to include a ribbon being wrapped around the Maypole, often leaving intricate
pattern.

If you’d like to visit a local May Day event,
you can head down to Knutsford on 8th May where there will be a
traditional Maypole dance and other events. See the website for more information.

May Day – Fun Facts

The biggest ever Maypole was said to have been
in the Strand, in 1661, which stood at an impressive 143 feet high! It stood
there until 1717, when it was used by Isaac Newton and Dutch astronomer
Christopher Huygen to build a new type of reflecting telescope.

It was a tradition for girls to wash their faces
in the early morning dew around May Day. This was thought to make them
beautiful for the whole year!

Villagers across Britain used to believe that
fairies could use special powers at the beginning of May.

We’ve Got May Day All Stocked Up!

Whether you’re at a May Day
celebration or spending the weekend with your family, we’ve lots of items that
are perfect for picnics and healthy meals. Come on over to the site at: www.creamline.co.uk to browse our full
selection.